My wife and I live in Houston (ClearLake) and I have decided to start Aikido and she may follow later. I would like to learn traditional aikido and not a variation with something mixed in. I work 12hr shifts at ClearLake Hosp so its difficult to find times that are good for me because I work a matrix. I have two dojos in mind but I haven't been to either one yet. I have no martial arts training what so ever, so with that in mind what would be the most important thing in a dojo for me to look for?

Janet Rosen

10-03-2005, 03:12 PM

http://www.aikiweb.com/training/witt1.html is a place to start.
Go to each of the two dojos at least once, maybe twice, when the chief instructor is teaching. Watch how the teaching happens. Watch how the teacher and students interact.
If one of them is Ki Society, say hello to Craig Hocker from me! :-)

pezalinski

10-03-2005, 03:32 PM

"Keiko, keiko, keiko." (It'll make sense, later). You need a dojo that has aikido classes scheduled around the clock, not just 2 nights a week at the local Y. So look for a dojo that has it's own space, and a breadth of classes.